Vehicle-wheel rim.



J. R. GAMMETER.

VEHICLE WHEEL RIM. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.2G,1006.

969,779. Patented Sept. 13,1910.

2" were.

XMM, WM? WW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN RUDOLPH GAMMETER,-OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED RIM COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICELE-WHEEL RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Application filed March 28, 1806. Serial No. 308,175.

Rims, of which the following is a specifica-.

'tion, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, which form a part thereof.

y invention relates to the type of wheel rims adapted for use with pneumatic, solid or cushion tires of resilient material, and more particularly to rims adapted for use with tires which are designed to be applied and removed at will.

The objects of my invention are to provide. a rim having one or both of the tire retaining rings or flanges removable 'in order to enable the, tire to be easily and quickly applied and detached, and to furnish suita le locking means for the removable flange or flanges which will combine ease of 0 eration with strength when in the loc ed positioni Y A further object. of my invention is to obviate the use of nuts, bolts, turnbuckles, etc., which tend to weaken a structure of this character and to provide a device which, when locked, will present a practically continuous surface and have no interstices into which moisture or dirt can penetrate.

I am aware that rims have been .constructed having removable flanges, but I believe that the form of locking means hereinafter described is broadly new.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the tire-seating member, removable tire-retaining flan e and locking rin illustrating the metho of detaching the ockin ring. Fig. 2 is a cross section of a tire and mm showing the device in the locked position as applied to a clencher tire. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modified form of the tire retaining flan e, adapted for'use with tires of the so-called Dunlop ty e. Flgs. 4 and 5 are cross sections of modified forms of rims in which both tire retaining flanges" are removable.

These drawings represent a structure in which I have mcorporated my improvements, although the invention can be embodied in many other forms without departing from its spirit. therefore, to be understood as limiting myself to the precise structure shown, but de- .over the edge of the tire-seatin I do not 'wish,

sire to claim the invention broadly, irrespective of the particular form of the parts.

The device consists of the rim proper or tire seating member 1, preferably of metal, which in general is permanently secured to the wheel felly. One tire retaining flange 2, I have shown as formed integral with the rim though if desired both may be made.

removable. The second tire retaining flange is a removable endless ring 3. Near the edge of the tire-seating member 1, upon .Which the detachable flange seats, is an annular groove 4, shaped to admit the endless lockin ring 5. This locking ring has an inner diameter slightly less than that of the tire seating portion of the member 1 and of, the outer wall of the groove and is slightly elastic to enable it to be sprung into and out of position. The form of this locking ring can be varied considerably, although the form shown in the drawings answers the purpose admirably. It has a horizontally pro ecting shoulder 6 of the proper shape MK size to seat upon the outer edge of the wall of the groove 4, as shown in Fig. 2, and an inwardly projecting portion 7 which is of slightly less diameter than the said ed e and, therefore, lies below the edge when t e rin is in the locked position. The portion of t e endless tire retaining flange which engages with the locking ring is shown as grooved to correspond with the form of that portion of the locking ring with which it engages, although this is not essential.

The mode of operation of my device is as follows: The parts being ismounted, the tire is a plied to the tire-seatin member and ma e to engage closely with the permanent tire retaining flange about the entire periphery of the wheel. The removable tire retaining flange is then slip ed member into engagement with the, tire an the locking ring applied. This last operation can be very easi y performed by simply inserting a portion of the locking ring into the groove and s ringing the ring over the outer edge 0 the wall thereof into'the groove. The locking ring is then sprung 7 outward against the outer edge of the we] the groove upon the locking ring itself engaging with the said edge. The detachable ange is then moved outwardly against the locking ring and the tire inflated. The inon the rim. The

flation of the tire will hold the parts se- 15 0f any accident, as occasionally happens when a pneumatic tire is used, it might be possible that the parts would become disengaged but the clips commonly used with this style of tire at the valve stem will keep the arts securely locked and prevent any possibility of such accidental disengagement. To. remove the tire the clips, if used, are loosened and the tire wholly or partially deflated. The detachable flange is then pressed slightly inward until one part of j the locking ring can be dropped into the groove. When this occurs, as is shown in 'Fig. 1, the portion of the locking ring opposite to the portion which has been dropped into the groove will project slightly beyond the rim, and' by pulling outward on this portion the locking ring can easily be sprung off from the tire-seating member, whereupon the tire flange can also be removed and the tire taken of]? from thewheel. I It is not always necessary to entirely remove the locking ring, as by slipping it down into its groove one side of the tire flangecan be passed over it and beyond the tire-seating member when the flange can be dropped and entirely freed from the locking ring and tire-seating member.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of rim in which both tire retaining flanges aremade removable. groove 4 at each edge, a pair of endless locking rings 5 being provided for. retaining thedetachable flanges 3.. In Fig. 5 another.

way of making both flan es removable is shown. In this form the rim 1 .is provided at one side with. the flange 3, locking ring 5 and groove 4 of the construction already described, the tire retaining flan e at the other side of the rim being in the'form of a ring 10 held in place b ange 10 can be'removed after the flange 3 and tire -are taken off. The constructions shown in these figures make possible the substitution of flanges of different shapes for the reception of the various types of tires.v

Having described claim is: I 1. In a wheel rim, in combination, a tireseating member having a recess therein, -a removable tire-retaining flange, and a substantially inextensible, endless locking ring shaped to enter said recess when out of operative position.

2. In a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of a tire-seating member, a removable,

my invention, what I endless, tire-retaining flange, and a substan-.

tially inextensible endless locking ring, said tire-seating member being formed with a 6 groove along one edge, and said locking The rim 1 is formed with a I upon the ed an upturned flange 11- ring being shaped to enter said groove, and to seat upon the edge of the outer wall thereof.

3. In a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of a the seating member having an an-- nular groovenear one edge thereof,'a removable endless tire retaining flange adapt-- ed to seat .upon the said tire seating memher, and a substantially inextensible endless locking ring, the said locking ring shaped to enter said groove and provided. wit-h a projecting flange having a diameter slightly less than that of the edge of the outer Wall of said groove. I

4:. In a wheel rim, in combination, a tire seating member having a circumferential groove therein, a tire retaining flange having an inner diameter not less than the maxi mum diameter of those portions of the tire I seating member at one side of said groove,

and a substantially inextensible endless locking ring having an inner diameter less than that of the outer-edge of a wall of said groove and an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of the retaining flange. 5. In' ,a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of a tire-seatin member having a groove adjacent one e ge, a removable,'endless, tire-retaining flange, and a substantiallyinextensible endless locking ring-having an inner diameter less than the diameter of the outer edge of the wall of said groove, and an outerdlameter greater than that of said edge, and being provided with a-horizontally projecting shoulder adapted to seat e of said wall. 6. In a vehicle wheel} rim,

he combination of a tire-seating member having a groove along one edge, an endlesstire-retaining flange, and a substantially inextensible endless locking ring adapted to enter said groove and having an inner diameter less than the diameter of the outer edge of the v wall of said groove,

along one edge, an endless tire-retaining 7. In a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of. a tire-seating member having a .groove:

flange, and a substantially inextensible end less locking ring adapted to enter said' groove and having an inner diameter less than and an outer diameter greater than the outer edge ofthe wall thereof, said endless retaining flange being recessed to receive said locking ring.

' 8. In a vehicle wheel rim, the combination of a tire-seating member having a groove along-one edge, an endless tire-reta1n1ng flange, and a substantially inextensible endlesslo'cking ring having an inner diameter less than and'an outer diameter greater than that of the outer edge of the wall of the 7 said cesse to receive said locking ring, and'said locking ring being recessed to recelve the outer edge of sai wall. V

oove, said retaming flange being re-' 9. In a wheel rim, in combination,a tire seating memberhavmg a groove along one edge, a removable tire retainin flange and a substantially inextensible en less locking ring having an inner diameter less than that of the outer edge of the wall of said groove and an outer dlameter greater than the inner diameter of the retaining flange.

10. In a wheel rim, in combination, a tire seating member having a fixed tire retaining flange on one edge, and at the other edge being bent downward, outward0 and then upward to form a groove, the uter edge of said upward bent portion being of .no greater diameter than the diameter of the tire seatin portion, a removable endless tire retaining ange of a diameter to fit said tire seating portion and a substantially inextensible removable endless locking ring of. L shaped. cross-section, the vertical leg or flange of the said ring having an inside diameter less than the diameter of the outer edge of the said upwardlybent portion of the tire seating member, the horizontal leg or flange of said ring having an inside diameter equal to the diameter of the outer edge of said upwardly bent portion and an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of said retaining flange, said retaining flange having a.recess to receive said lockin ring, the diameter of the outer wall of said recess being the same as the outer diameter of said locking ring.

11. A vehicle wheel rim constituting a seat for a tire and provided at one side with an offset forming a seat and a channel, an annular tire-retaining means mounted on said rim and extending over the offset, and an inextensible endless locking ring of less diameter than said rim mounted upon said seat formed by the offset and engaging said tire-retaining means for looking it against lateral displacement, said channel constituting a means to receive the ring in advance of positioning the ring on its seat.

JOHN RUDOLPH GAMMETER.

Witnesses:

v WALTER K. MEANS,

ARTHUR E. DAVISON. 

